


courage doesn't always roar

by saintjoy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: First Kiss, I love these dumb homosexuals, Idiots in Love, Insecurity, M/M, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 06:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4048882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintjoy/pseuds/saintjoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're not dispensable, you know."</p><p> </p><p>  <i>(Written for the SASO 2015 br 1)</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	courage doesn't always roar

Daichi had to leave practice right after it ended, leaving Sugawara to sweep the floor and lock up the equipment. Nishinoya and Tanaka left first – probably to go play video games at home after a long week of exams and practices – and the first years and other second years soon followed. Takeda and Coach Ukai decided to go out for drinks together, and Ennoshita needed some hard-earned sleep, so when the gym doors slammed shut for the second to last time that night, it was just Sugawara, his broom, and Asahi on the court.

  
"Are you sure I'm not in the way?"

"Don't mind, don't mind," Sugawara joked, cocking the handle of the broom toward Asahi. "As long as you gather all the balls you use and put them away for me, it's all good."

"Okay."

  
Sugawara plugged in his headphones and listened to an album he downloaded the other day while he swept the floor. First he walked around the perimeter, then the interior of the court; he trusted Asahi not to lop off his head with the force of his serves. He'd been getting better at them. Sugawara made a point of watching his older teammates, for often the achievements of the first years overshadowed their steady progress. He watched for their ticks that meant they were going to do spike technique A or serve C. Asahi always turned his feet to the left before doing a jump serve. If he was preparing for a quick, he cracked his thumb knuckles. When breaking through a block, he furrowed his eyebrows and rolled his shoulders, as if to summon all of his strength for one spike that could smash through brick walls. He tugged on his bun of hair when he was anxious. He scratched his ear when he was trying to focus. And, more than anyone else, Sugawara knew that Asahi had the kind of unmatched focus that really made him fit to be Karasuno's ace.

As he leaned against the wall and let the broom drop to the floor, Sugawara considered the idea that he watched Asahi more than he watched his other teammates. He licked his lips and toyed with the thought. Well, as a setter, that was only natural, right? It was a setter's job to be in tune with his spiker, get the ball to his hand and bring out the best of his skills. Daichi was big on defense, and the second-years other than Nishinoya and Tanaka weren't regular players, and didn't spend nearly as much time with him in his previous years.

He sat cross-legged and watched Asahi practice. Throw up the ball, three long steps forward, crouch, jump,  _smack_ , hit the edge of the court. Grab another ball, throw it up, five short steps forward, leap,  _smack_ , hit the opposite edge of the court. Another ball, a short toss, one lunge forward, an underhanded  _thud_  that made the ball drop just past the net. Sugawara pulled off his headphones. Asahi didn't so much as grunt when he practiced alone. Sugawara wondered if it was the stress that dragged his voice out of him.

"Is something wrong, Sugawara?" He didn't realize when, but at some point Asahi had ceased his practice and walked up to Sugawara with a look of concern. "You seem out of it."

A blush dyed his cheeks red as he jumped to his feet. "No, no, I was thinking, is all."

Asahi raised an eyebrow. "Is it getting late? You want me to pack up?"

"No, it's okay," Sugawara said, shaking his head. "Practice as long as you want. Just don't overexert yourself."

"I mean, I'm pretty much done..." Asahi trailed off, fidgeting with the ball in his hands. "So, if you wanna leave."

"I'll stick around." He smiled, and Asahi reciprocated the gesture. "How about I help with your spikes."

"Oh, sure!" If he wasn't over six feet tall, Sugawara might've said that he was bouncing up and down in excitement. "Yeah, that sounds cool. Yeah!"

"Alright, then let's do that."  
  
Sugawara tossed the ball into the air, hit it once, and Asahi leapt and smacked it over the net. It landed just short of the midline.

"Too high?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I mean my jump was a bit off, so–"

"I'll toss it lower next time."

"Oh, okay."

  
A toss, a hit, a leap, a smack. The ball landed just off-center. 

"How was that?"

"It was good, yeah." Asahi grinned and held his hand in the air. "Hit my palm perfectly."

"Cool," Sugawara replied, "glad to see I haven't lost my touch."

Asahi paused. "Yeah."

  
A rumble of thunder strolled in through the gaping windows. Sugawara would have to close them before it started pouring. He was about to grab the pole in the corner of the room, but before he could move, Asahi's hand clasped onto his wrist.

"Um." Sugawara glanced back at him, curiosity billowing in his eyes. "Koushi."

It was important. "What is it?"

"You're not dispensable, you know."

Sugawara tried to crack a smile, but it came out half-hearted. "I know that."

"You aren't." Asahi pulled him closer, and the blush on his cheeks grew darker. 

"I  _know_ , Asahi," Sugawara said, assuring himself more than Asahi, "you don't need to–"

  
Asahi kissed him, and the sensation overwhelmed him. His scruffy beard itched his skin and his hands were thick with callouses but his every touch was gentle nonetheless. He fell into Asahi's chest and bent backward as Asahi leaned forward and held him close. His skin was sticky and he smelled like sweat but Sugawara didn't mind all that much. How could he mind, when he was the vice-captain of a boys' volleyball team?

  
Sugawara untangled Asahi's hair tie and let his thick locks hang loose. Despite its appearance, his hair was soft and easily melded between his fingers. Asahi trailed a hand up his back and held the nape of his neck, when a flash of lightning struck outside. A downpour of rain followed. "Ack!" Sugawara sputtered, breaking away from Asahi. "We have to close the windows!"

"Oh... oh!" Asahi broke out of his daze and shook back to life. "I'll–I'll help!"

They dashed for the pole hanging in corner of the room and held it together to push all the windows closed. Each one sealed shut and raindrops pattered against them in circular waves. The gym warmed up without the cool breeze, although the humidity remained. Sugawara let out a sigh of relief.

  
"Okay, so that's done." He wiped his forehead and turned back toward Asahi. "So, um..."

"I have an umbrella," Asahi said, meekness bleeding into his voice. "I'll walk you home."

"Oh." A grin curled onto his face – a genuine one, this time. "Why don't you invite yourself in?"

Asahi went tense, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead. "I-If you wouldn't mind, I mean, I'm not busy or anything so if it isn't any sort of intrusion...!"

Sugawara snorted. "I wouldn't invite you if it was."

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt by [swiftling](http://swiftling.dreamwidth.org).
> 
> "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" - Mary Anne Radmacher


End file.
